


The Legend Of Tei

by basingtei



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Legend of Tei, Multi, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-07-30
Packaged: 2018-02-11 02:29:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2049960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basingtei/pseuds/basingtei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>According to the Order of the White Lotus, the avatar no longer existed. After Avatar Korra's death, the White Lotus searched the entire United Republic and the Earth Kingdom for the next Avatar in the cycle. As the years passed, hope dwindled from what was a certainty down to praying for a miracle. Ten years into the search and they finally gave up. Their understanding was that the separation of Korra from Raava was the cause of the cycle breaking. They believed that even though she reconnected with Raava, it wasn't enough to keep the cycle going. But they were wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hidden

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Okay, first off if you are not okay with original characters, stop reading now. I know it’s like sacrilegious (to some people) to add in your own characters. I have TRIED so hard to get this out of my head, you have no idea. I have tried to not write this. I have tried to stop thinking about this story. But I can't. It's like trying to change your eye color or your ethnicity. It's something that can't be ignored for me. It's a part of me. So if you send me hate mail, let me tell you right now, I warned you. This is 90 years after Harmonic Convergence, 22 years after Avatar Korra's Death.

Harmonic convergence in Avatar Korra's time changed the world drastically. Spirits living amongst humans was something new and not an easy change at first, but after having 90 years to adjust to this new living arrangement, it became a natural part of life as the generations came and went. Humans, spirits, and animals; making a life together. Ba Sing Se was no exception. Spirits roamed the streets day and night. Sometimes they bothered the residents, sometimes they were kind and discreet. On the day Tei's journey began, however, they all seemed very tense, sensing the calm before the storm, so to speak.

According to the Order of the White Lotus, the avatar no longer existed. After Avatar Korra's death, the White Lotus searched the entire United Republic and the Earth Kingdom for the next Avatar in the cycle. As the years passed, hope dwindled from what was a certainty down to praying for a miracle. Ten years into the search and they finally gave up. Their understanding was that the separation of Korra from Raava was the cause of the cycle breaking. They believed that even though she reconnected with Raava, it wasn't enough to keep the cycle going. But they were wrong.

X

The sun was streaking over the metropolis of Ba Sing Se, the rays of light just barely reaching over the walls and filtering through the curtains of a home in the lower ring. As the orange glow entered the room it fell upon a young woman, deep in sleep. She was not, however, alone in the house. A massive saber tooth sand leopard was on the prowl through the halls, silently pushing the woman's bedroom door open. She flinched her head back when the door squeaked, the young woman stirring in her sleep. The leopard ducked her head down and waited for the woman to be back in a deep sleep before continuing forward, creeping up next to the high bed, almost eye level with the woman. Her ears went back and she opened her mouth gripping a large amount of the sheets between her teeth. When she was sure she had a good grip, the leopard turned and ran out the door, taking all of the sheets with her.

"Misa, no," the young woman whined as her body was exposed, turning on her side and curling up. After lying still for a few moments, the leopard came back in and propped herself halfway on the bed, licking the woman's side. She laughed and pushed her head away.

"Can't I sleep in for one day?" She complained and turned her naked body towards her friend. Misa growled softly and the woman huffed.

"I know , I know… the shop isn't going to open itself." Misa let out a snort in agreement and got off the bed, her job for the morning finished. The woman took her time sitting up and folding her legs under herself, stretching and yawning with her mahogany hair falling around her.

She fell into her morning routine; retrieving the blankets from Misa's oh-so-obvious hiding place and making the bed, dressing herself in her knee length v-neck light green dress with grass green sash around her little waist, opening the curtains, putting her hair up into a messy bun with her hair spiking up over the crown of her head. She bent her steel bracelet into place, the cool metal wrapping around her wrist under her manipulation. She reached for her locket on her night stand and walked to the bathroom, clasping the metal together at the nape of her neck and the locket fell just at the start of her cleavage. She looked herself over in the mirror and smiled, her olive green eyes lively for so early in the morning. The young woman washed her face and brushed her teeth. Only then was she completely satisfied with herself. She came out of the bathroom and walked down her hall to the kitchen. Misa padded her way in and looked up to her.

"Breakfast?" She chirped. Misa's mouth fell open and her fluffy tail stood to attention, making the woman laugh. She reached into the refrigerator and tossed her a hunk of fresh meat, the leopard catching it without fail, as she did every morning. The woman leaned against the counter and munched on strawberryapple, watching her best friend rip apart her breakfast savagely. She smiled. To her, it was just another day in her content, simple life. Just another morning. Ahead of her she felt was an average day of manning her father's bladesmith shop, left to her after he died five years ago. Her life had seemed so empty when Ryo had died, but the world kept spinning, so she had to keep on living. When she was finished with her fruit headed for the door, grabbing her keys and slipping on her worn leather shoes.

"Ready to go, Misa?" She hollered into the house, hearing her large paws thump against the wooden floors as she ran to the door. The woman opened the door and Misa ran out into the street, turning to wait for her owner. She came out and locked the door behind them and started their trek to the shop, walking in step together.

During the first few hours, business was slow; only a few browsers stopping by. As afternoon came, the shop got busy with a couple actual customers and a few kids at the same time. The kids she didn't mind, it was the men gave her constant trouble. One of the men took a sword off the wall and came to her counter, setting it before her while a smile danced on his lips.

"My, you are looking beautiful as ever ,Tei." He said, his eyes raking over her body hungrily. She smiled back and leaned forward, her weight on the counter.

"True as that may be, flattery does not buy a sword, Riko." She replied and batted her eyes. He didn't seem too dejected.

"How about a trade then? One weapon for one date?" He leaned forward, opposite her.

"Oh, if only a date with you was worth that much." She purred and pursed her petal lips.

"Sugar, don't be like that." He said with his lids heavy, easily under her teasing spell. "Your prices are just so high."

"Highest quality in Ba Sing Se, Riko. I forged it myself, I should know." Tei defended and skimmed her fingers across the counter to run a hand down the beautiful weapon, shining like a mirror.

"But 2,700 yuans? That's a little steep." He bargained.

"And I am taking a loss at that price." She said firmly, removing her hand from the masterpiece and looking back up at him. He huffed

"You are so much like Ryo. I am starting to guess how you got that scar." He spat and motioned his hand towards her face. She flinched back and her left hand reflexively ran down the pink line that cut into her eyebrow and stopped at her cheekbone. Misa, who had been laying idle behind the counter saw her reaction and was on all fours instantly, baring her intimidating teeth at Riko. Tei frowned.

"How I got this scar is none of your business - Hey!" She shouted to the kids that were playing behind Riko, swinging daggers wildly at each other. "Put those down right now or spirits helps me I'll make sure your mothers know all the trouble you lot have been causing around town!"

The boys dropped the daggers and ran out of the shop, having felt Tei's wrath more than once. She sighed and turned back to the man before her, looking down at the sword.

"Fine, 2,500, and that's only because you buy here regularly." She said curtly.

"Deal." Riko smiled and reached into his pockets, pulling out a green, rectangular booklet.

"Riko, you know my policy, Cash only. I don't like those paper slips." She motioned to his checkbook. He sighed and put it away, pulling out all the he had and placing it on the counter. Tei counted it quickly. "You're fifty short."

"Can you hold it for me? I'll go home and get the rest."

"Yes, but if I get a better offer, it's gone." She sang to him, waving the money in the air.

"I'll be right back." He said and hurried out of the shop. Tei took the sword off the counter and leaned it against the wall behind her. She head the familiar ringing of a bell that sounded when someone else had come inside and she turned to greet them, turning pale when she saw who it was. It was one of the spirits that likes to cause havoc on her little life. As it came towards her, she held her hand out to stop it.

"Yen, no. I am really not in the mood today for your antics." She said and pointed towards the door.

"I am not here to cause trouble. I promise." It responded in a childlike voice she had grown all too familiar with.

"Well you don’t need any weapons and I highly doubt you just want to chat, so what do you want with me, exactly?" She spat, venom in her words. The spirit took no notice to her tone and stood at her counter, seeming very tense. It didn't speak for a few moment and Tei realized something was off about the situation. "What's wrong, Yen?"

"I just wanted to wish you luck. I know it's going to be hard, but I know you can do this."

"Um… what?" Tei asked, completely confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forget, you humans can only see past and present. Oh dear. I might have made things worse. I should go-" It turned it's translucent light body towards the door.

"No, wait!" She said and propelled herself over the counter, reaching out for the spirit, unable to grasp it.

"Please, I need to go, I've made a mess of things." And with that it was out of the door, leaving just her, Misa, and her thoughts. She looked to Misa and scoffed.

"What the hell was that about?" She asked and crossed her arms, Misa giving her head a little tilt. Tei frowned and hopped back up onto the counter, sitting and crossing her legs, waiting for the rest of the day to pass by. And it did, rather uneventfully after that. Riko came back and paid for his sword. The boys never came back to browse or roughhouse. Yen stayed away from Ryo's shop, in fact she didn’t see another spirit during business hours. When closing time came, they left after tightly locking up the gated windows and door.

Her walk home in the dark was usually not a problem, especially with such a fierce beast at her side faithfully. Somehow, Misa was no comfort to her as she noticed the lack of people and spirits that usually crowded the evening streets in the summer, even on a beautiful hot night like it was. Misa could sense the eerie calm too and her eyes darted around corners, her bushy tail straight as a board. Tei's stomach began to knot and an uneasy feeling passed through her intestines. She walked closer to her friend, her waist to Misa's shoulders.

She felt like she could finally breathe when they were both inside and safely locked away from the world. She clung to the doorknob and let out a soft sigh, feeling the anxiety slowly start to melt away. This day had been off. Something wasn't right with the world. Something was wrong and she just couldn't figure out what it was. It had to be simple, something she was missing. A holiday? A ceremony? Was this all because of the solstice? She turned to look at the foyer of her small home, kicking off her shoes and walking towards the kitchen to make dinner. She didn’t get far. Suddenly the wooden floor beneath her felt like it was shaking, wobbling from side to side with a lack of seismic activity. She tripped and caught herself on the ground. Misa was at her side almost instantly, hovering protectively. It wasn't her house or the earth, it was her. She was off. Realization poured over her as she tried to figure out what exactly was wrong, but her mind became a playground of fog. Her body grew weak, her limbs shaking and her vision blurring. Misa made a concerned growling and Tei tried to lie, tried to say she was okay, but her throat closed up as she collapsed onto the floor of her entryway, Misa trying to nudge her back into a conscious state with her head.

X

She wasn't sure where she was. Everywhere she turned in the bright light of day was sand. Just sand, stretching on for miles in every direction. An ocean of rock and her abandoned like a ship lost at sea. The sky was a cloudy bright haze of yellow, the sun at her zenith. She couldn't remember traveling to the desert, or which way was home, so she tried to use her wits to get herself out of this situation. With the sun at its highest she couldn't tell which way was east or west. So she walked right for the sun, hoping to see it lower in an hour. She did so and the sun indeed lowered to the side, indicating west. She smiled and went to wipe the sweat off her brow, having walked at least a few miles, but there was no sweat. In fast she wasn't out of breath, hot, thirsty, or tired. These thoughts and more occurred to her. Such as, if she was in the Si Wong Desert, she was southeast of home. Meaning she needed to head northwest to get home. She smiled at her own little victory and walked accordingly. Tei walked for what seemed like hours, maybe even days, but sun lowered slowly. Just as it was about to head over the horizon, it seemed to change direction, moving back in the sky the way it had came.

"No. No! That's not possible! You're supposed to go down!" She cursed at the sun in frustration. No sooner had her words left her mouth did the sun all but disappear, leaving her in pitch black darkness. No stars, no sand, no air, no sound. She felt like she was choking and closed her eyes, terrified and lost. She tried to swallow but couldn't. She tried to feel where she was but she wasn't anywhere. Not standing, not floating, just existing. She tried to keep calm and focus on the beating of her heart, the only proof that she was still alive. Days passes. Weeks could have gone on in this state, there was no time. Only the beating of her heart.

After an eternity in nothingness, the choking stopped. She could breathe again. Warmth was crawling over her skin and seeping down into her bones. Light was just beyond the barrier of her eyelids again. She hesitated but opened her eyes, seeing a clear blue sky above her, the sun shining like it had never left. She took in another breath and it was becoming more and more real as the seconds ticked by. She was out of the dark. She was back in reality. She sat up slowly from the laying position she was in and looked around her. She was laying in summer wildflowers, similar to the ones that grew inside the first ring back home. Tei was in a meadow, a forest on her left, a mountain range on her right. Mountains she didn’t recognize. Her logic was becoming useless the more time she spent in this odd dimension. Between the desert, the darkness, and now this field she was done trying to figure it out.

"Hello?" She called out, standing up out of the flowers. Her voice echoed off the forest and mountains, just to come back to her own ears. She kept hearing her own voice call out dozens of times. No animal sounds, no breeze to rustle the trees, just silence.

She fisted her dress at her sides and started to panic. Before her heart was pounding too fast, a response finally came.

"Tei."

She turned to see a woman standing behind her. She appeared a little older than herself. Her pallet of clothing was all shades of blue with white fur and brown leather thrown in. It was clear; she was of watertribe descent.

"Where am I?" Tei asked, filled with anxiety that a perfect stranger knew her name; that she had gotten so close without hearing her approach.

"You are in Ba Sing Se," she spoke softly, "at least, your body is."

"I don’t understand," She said and her voice raised an octave, clearly feeling her heart beating in her chest, the pumping of blood, the expansion of her lungs. She was real, she was there.

"You are in the spirit world. I pulled you here."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Korra. I am the Avatar before you."

Her words hung in the air, precariously tipping Tei near the edge of a full blown panic attack.

"Avatar Korra, you mean 'the Avatar before my time', right?" She asked.

"No Tei. You are the Avatar after myself."

"That-that's not true. The Cycle died with you, everyone knows that. I can't be."

"You are." Said another voice. A strong low, authorizing woman's voice echoed around the two women, seemingly coming from nowhere. "You must accept this responsibility."

"And you are?" Tei called out, trying to find the source.

"I am Raava, the spirit of light, the same spirit that is inside of you right now."

Tei held a hand to her chest and looked back to Korra. She had been told all her life about the great spirit Raava, the legends that Korra left behind. It left her star struck and sea sick at the same time.

"No… it can't be true, it just can't be." Tei argued, shaking her head like a child.

"It is important that you understand who you are, where you came from." Raava continued.

"Why? Why now? Why wasn't I told? Why were there no signs?" She challenged, her fear becoming anger and rejection.

"You are the first Avatar to be born in this new cycle." Korra explained." The signs the world had always depended on weren't there. They couldn't manifest. You are only connected to me and therefore would not be able to choose toys from your past lives or show any other signs of any other life other than mine. There were signs Tei, but no one was looking for…"

"No one was looking for me." She said and it hurt. She closed her eyes and tightened her fists. She hadn't been special enough. No one knew who she was because she wasn't extraordinary in any way. "Why?" Her voice cracked. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

"We had hoped for you to find out on your own, just as Korra did when she was young." Raava's voice echoed through the field.

"But you didn't. You are very different from me. But this is besides the point, you need to know now. There is an urgent matter at hand and the summer solstice will not last forever." Korra reasoned.

"What do you mean? The world is at peace. The Avatar isn't needed." Tei replied.

"That is what it would seem, but things are about to take a turn in the wrong direction soon." Raava's voice echoed. "The leader of your own nation is about to start a war."

"That's ridiculous. King Qiang is way too passive for something like that. And who would he even war against?"

"Qiang is planning an attack on the United Republic. He truly believes the United Republic has stolen Earth Kingdom soil and wants to fight for it back. He wants there to be four nations again." Korra explained.

"It's all a façade, young Avatar-" Raava agreed

"Stop calling me that. I'm not the Avatar! You're wrong!" Tei rejected.

"I have been around for millennia, before your time of existence, before the time of the Avatar! Mind your place, human!" Raava retorted and Tei flinched at the scolding. Korra came closer to her.

"Tei, you can do this. You have to."

"I-I'm scared. I don’t know what to do, where to go…" Her fists gripped her dress again and her chest felt tight.

"That's why we are here. But there is one thing, you have to keep who you are hidden. "

"What?"

"I'm sorry, you have to conceal your identity. It's the only way for you to be safe while you train." Korra murmured.

"How am I supposed to defeat a King with an entire army by myself?"

"You are never alone." Raava said kindly, in stark contrast to her tone before. "We have always been with you and that will never change." Tei looked down and nodded to herself.

"Okay then," She lifted her head and meet Korra's eyes, "Where do I start?"

"You need to leave for Republic city. Find General Tashi of the United Forces. He can be trusted. From there he will guide you to a firebending master. That's where you'll start."

"Alright." She said meekly. Korra put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can do this." She encouraged with a smile that Tei returned it.

"Good luck and goodbye." Raava echoed as Korra's hand left her shoulder.

"Goodbye?" Tei asked and suddenly there was darkness again. Black, thick, choking darkness, squeezing her throat and chest. She couldn't breathe. Abruptly, her eyes flew open and she gasped for air, finding herself on the floor of home. Misa, who had never left her side, nudged her shoulder with her head as Tei panted, feeling like she had been holding her breath for too long. She pulled herself up into a sitting position, her body feeling weak as she strained to look for the wall clock. It was almost 2am. What had felt like an eternity to her had merely been a few hours. Tei sighs as Misa's massive head lay in her lap, her hand automatically petting her between the ears.

"Our lives are going to change Misa…" She murmured and Misa purred at her touch.

X

The next morning they fell into their routine for the last time, getting ready for the day with uneasy stomachs. She opened the shop early and marked down her merchandise as low as she could, hoping to sell most of it. It didn't take but a few hours for the news of her low prices to catch attention and people started coming from all over the city, lower and middle ring alike. Swords and knives were flying off the shelves so quick she barely had time between each customer, her little shop filled with people. One customer questioned the prices.

"What's going on? Are you moving or something?" Riko asked her over the noisy shop.

"Something like that," She whispered and couldn't meet his eyes. He raised his brow in suspicion but placed the money on the counter. He was about to walk away when something in his head stopped him.

"You know, your father… Ryo was a great man. One of the best men I had ever had the pleasure of knowing. Honorable, genuine, and strong. Just… keep making him proud."

She was blind sighted by his comment, her chest filling with both love and pride for her father.

"I will, thank you, Riko." She said and her voice cracked, her heart touched. With that he left, three swords in hand and a few daggers to boot. Most of her weapons were sold by closing time, which was early that day, and she took the remaining ones and locked them in the tiny back store room. Tei took a sack cloth and emptied her cash box into it, slinging it over her shoulder and putting the cash box under the counter. Misa walked her out and she pulled the gates down, locking up everything like she normally would. As the lock clicked into place, she wondered how much dust would collect while she was gone. And how long she would be gone for that matter. Months? Years? Not knowing weighed her down. It made her anxious, the thought of her life out of balance, unpredictable from this point on. She wanted so badly for things to stay the same. To stay home and just ride out the war that was supposedly coming. But that wasn't her destiny. She didn't know what that universe held for her anymore. And nothing scared Tei more than not knowing.

Her and Misa walked to the bank in the middle ring, wanting to cash in all the money she had made. While waiting in line she pulled out her Yuan card and frowned at it. She didn't like technology much and using a thin piece of plastic to buy everything she would need along her journey felt so foreign to her. When the teller called Tei to the counter, she heaved the heavy bag onto the countertop and smiled.

"I would like to make a deposit, please."

The teller's eyes looked down at the bag and swift fingers undid the leather tie, her eyes widening when she saw the amount of money in the bag.

"Uh, um, your account number?" She stuttered, trying not to draw attention. Tei smoothly slid her card over to the teller. She took the card, looked from the money to Misa and back up to Tei, of whom had a smile on her face. The teller was very confused about who this girl was, why that behemoth of a creature was at her side calmly, and why on earth she had so much money in cash.

"21-8802." Tei replied.

"Ah, the 21st district. I didn't know you could make money like this down there." The teller said casually, typing away on her computer.

"You can if you sell out your bladesmith shop." She sang, knowing the teller was being nosy. "Can you please transfer everything from the savings account to the main account too? The one connected to that thing?" Tei sang pointing to the plastic card. The woman just nodded and finished on the computer, emptying Tei's sack and handing it back to her.

"Would you like a receipt?"

"Yes, please." Tei grabbed her bag and waited patiently. The yellow slip of paper came out of the printer and was handed to her with an obscene amount of money on the paper. Tei laughed nervously under her breath and put the paper and the card in her bag.

"Thank you, have a nice day!" She said and gave a two-fingered salute, turning and leaving the teller with the most suspicious look on her face, Misa in tow.

Their journey home took a while, even though they closed shop early just to go to the bank, not arriving home until a little passed 10 pm. They both ate a quick dinner and Tei took a shower before plopping onto her bed, her hair still damp. She covered her naked body with the thin sheet and Misa creaked the door open, letting out a growl. Tei motioned to her and Misa climbed up on the bed with Tei, happy to have the company. She found her fingers raking through the thick fur around her neck and down her back absentmindedly, listening to her best friend's breathing. So many things were running through her mind. So much of her life she wasn't going to be able to control. It felt surreal. It was like watching one of those movers that she sometimes got way into and she just couldn't shake the plotline from her head. But this was a story that couldn't be put down. She wasn't sure if this was a nightmare or a dream come true. Tei was flooded with so many emotions at once that she had to let her body go numb just to sleep.

X

Morning came all too soon for the young Avatar, finding herself waking before the sun had peaked over the walls, the sky a light lavender. She lay in bed for a while, glancing at the clock every few seconds, but the numbers wouldn't change. 5:17 am. Eternally 5:17 in the morning. Her eyes darted from the clock to the ceiling what felt like several hundred times before the 7 turned into an 8. When it did she let out a frustrated growl. She wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep. Not after she remembered what today held for her. She uncovered herself and the movement woke Misa, earning her a look of 'why are you up so early' that, under any other circumstances, would have made Tei laugh. But not today. She padded across the wooden floor over to her wardrobe and got dressed for the day, putting her hair in her signature style and every accessory in place, locket, metalbending bracelet, and adding her favorite silver hoop earrings her father gave her for her sixteenth birthday. It was a special day after all.

Tei dug deep under her bed and grabbed her large brown leather bag, flipping open the top and packing the necessities; bras, panties, worn leather boots, long-sleeved under shirts and leggings for warmth, a few other main dresses, gloves, a hat, bathroom items, and her smaller bag that held her account info and her Yuan card. Even after checking the house twice for anything she might have missed, it was still only half passed six. She sighed and grabbed a strawberryapple, walking to her room and laying on the bed and eating her breakfast in silence on her back. Something she loved most about strawberryapples; no waste. When she was finished she licked her fingers clean and Misa stretched our her back, her claws extending into the sheets but not ripping them.

"What do you think, girl? Walk to Republic City, or take the train?" She asked and Misa turned to her, crawling to her and plowing into her body as she rubbed her face all over her shoulder, purring.

"Yeah, I think the train too." She smirked and rubbed behind the overgrown cat's ear before sitting up and grabbing her bag off the bed. Misa followed her and just watched her. She threw the bag near the door and did a bunch of chores around the house that one would normally do when about to make a very long trip. She threw Misa her breakfast and then disposed of any perishable foods. Wiped down the counter tops and plugged the sink in both the kitchen and bathroom. Tei went to the circuit box in the pantry and turned off everything, the sun finally showing into the house and giving her light. She swept, mopped, cleaned windows, scrubbed the oven. She did things like this when she was nervous. Busy work. Something to focus on so her thoughts couldn’t run. On her last round of checking the house she locked all the windows, closed the curtains on the windows that had coverings, and started to straighten the jars of dehydrated food in the cupboard before she realized she had gone a little too far. Her chores had indeed kept her busy though, and it had helped to pass the time. She looked to the clock and it was almost nine. Her heart started to flutter and she left her breathing become short.

She tried to steady herself as she walked towards the door, grabbing a coat and stuffing it into her bag while slinging it across her body. Tei slipped on her shoes and grabbed her keys, the familiar jingle alerting the saber tooth sand leopard that it was time to leave finally. As they walked out the door and she locked it up, her hand rested on the door, dark green with the paint peeling around the brass handle. She had lived in this house her whole life, spending countless mornings with her father. She took her first steps in the kitchen. Her growing height was measured on the frame of the door to what had always been her bedroom. She had had countless breakdowns and joyous occasions here. She had grown into a woman in this house. All those memories, all those times together with Ryo were preserved in the plaster on the walls. She frowned and felt something other than anxiety choke her. When she was home she could pretend he was just in the other room or down at the shop or anything but gone. Now that she was leaving, there would be nothing but the locket around her neck to preserve him. How had five years passed by so quickly? She still remembered his laugh so clearly, loud and deep, shaking the windows easily. His murmured lullabies when she couldn’t sleep, even when she was a teen. She sighed and tried not to cry, it was like saying goodbye to him all over again. Tei said a silent prayer that her house would be safe while she was away. She patted the door and adjusted her bag, walking away with Misa faithfully at her side.

The walk to the train station didn’t take long, however the farther she got from home the more weird looks she attracted. It took her a while to realize it wasn't her people were staring at, it was the monstrous fluffy leopard next to her; her sharp, oversized teeth and sheer size intimidating despite the tame behavior and green leather collar with tags. Not many people had these large creatures as pets, usually because of their vicious demeanor. But she had had Misa since she was a cub, and had always been sweet unless provoked or is she felt Tei was in danger. Tei watched as people cleared a path for them, scared to death of Misa. She had to hold back a smile, proud of how big and strong her baby had gotten in just a few years. They both entered the station side by side and walked up to the ticket booth. Tei riffled through her bag and grabbed her card, slapping it on the counter and grabbing the cashier's attention.

"Two tickets to Republic City, please."

The man looked down at Misa and his eyes grew wide in fear.

"Um, Miss," he stumbled over his words, "You can't buy a ticket for a wild animal."

"She's not wild! She's my companion!" Tei defended, acting appalled but secretly still proud.

"I'm sorry, no pets allowed." He amended, firmer.

"Well, there is 1,000 Yuans that says she is allowed." Tei said and slid the card towards him, leaning onto the counter and giving him an excellent view of her cleavage.

"S-Security!" He yelled, flustered.

"Misa! Time to go!" Tei said and grabbed her card to stuff into her bra, seeing men in black outfits running towards her. She ran towards the doors, Misa right behind her, and down the steps outside, rounding the corner of the station and hiding in the ally.

Tei crossed her arms and kicked a rock, leaning against the brick wall of the station.

"Great, now what?" She huffed and looked to Misa. She, however, was looking around the opposite corner at the end of the ally. Tei raised a brow in curiosity and walked down to where her friend stood, following her eyes. There, at the end of the train headed to Republic City, was an old, rusted cargo car with the door wide open. She smiled.

"Are you serious?" Misa gave her head a tilt when their eyes met.  
"So what, you just want to start out this whole journey as a hitchhiker? Like a train hobo?" Misa just gave her blank look, as if to say 'um, yes?'.

"Alright, I'm in!" She shouted with both fists pumped at her sides. They sneaked low through the weeds and reached the tracks without being spotted. Tei bent an earth ramp for them and Misa went first, Tei following her lead and bending the ramp back down. She grabbed the door and pushed it until just a sliver of sunlight was coming in. As their eyes adjusted they say that it was completely empty, probably having to pick up cargo from Republic City. Misa lay down on the dusty floor and Tei leaned against her, resting her arms on Misa's strong, sand-colored body.

"Republic City, get ready for us."


	2. Rough Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow, okay SUPER happy about the reviews and the non-hate and the likes this has received. Don’t worry, this is a huge story and I have this all planned out. You might notice that I have changed the rating from teen to mature. There is a reason for that. Not anytime soon, but eventually. Anyway, as always, please review and enjoy! (Updates on this story are going to take longer than any other story, I am a perfectionist at this one. This is my baby, and it has to be perfect.)

The train ride took a day and a half, nonstop, of which Tei spent most of the time sleeping, exhausted from the lack of sleep the previous night. When the train finally stopped in Republic City, the girls were starving and their muscles ached from lack of movement. Tei stretched and stood, walking over to the door that was closed completely, the one opposite the side they came in. She cracked it open just a sliver and saw the train yard littered with unusable cars but otherwise unoccupied. She walked over and peek out the crack towards the platform; it was crowded with hundreds of people. They wouldn't be able to make a sightless escape that way. She sighed and opened the other door, looking out and blinking into the sunlight toward the train yard.

"Ready to go girl?" She said and bent up a ramp for them to walk down. Misa was quickly at her side, annoyed at being cramped in the train for so long but eager to go for a run.

"Let's go. " She said and grabbed her overstuffed bag, slinging it across her body and giving Misa a nudge, encouraging her to run out the door and down the ramp. Tei was behind her but not nearly as fast, letting her friend run around and get her muscles moving again. She felt the warm sun on her skin and smiled, looking up to the sky and shielding her eyes with her hands, guessing it was about two in the afternoon. They made their way out of the train yard and slipped into the city with ease, watching as people leaked into their view from side streets and alleyways. People didn't stare at them like they had in Ba Sing Se. Tei supposed in a city as diverse as this, many people had seen weirder things than a young woman with a collared saber tooth sand leopard. The closer she got to downtown, the more amazing smells wafted her way, reminding her that food was not only essential, but probably going to be different than what she was used to. Soon enough they rounded the corner and found street vendors with dozens of food types. Tei drooled a bit, digging in her bag for her card. She was so hungry she walked right up to the first vendor, looking at the pictures of food.

"What eat?" The man behind the cart asked harshly. Apparently, people in the United Republic didn't have manners. She rolled her eyes and pointed to a large bowl of rice topped with beef and vegetables.

"Three of that, please." She asked.

"7.50 Yuan." He demanded, holding out his hand for the money before he got their food.

"I don’t have cash, do you take these?" She asked politely, holding her card between her two fingers. He snatched the card from her and ran it through a machine, the paper printing out the charge almost instantly. He shoved the card and the receipt into her hand roughly and she took it, watching him prepare their food. He was fast, very fast. She put the card and the receipt away and grabbed the three bowls that were being shoved towards her over the cart's surface.

"Thank you." She said and locked eyes with him. He just looked away and she huffed, grabbing a pair of disposable chopsticks and walking away.

"Rude." She whispered under her breath, food in her arms and Misa staring at her hungrily. She sighed and sat down against a huge concrete building, seeing that area wasn't busy. She set the two bowls down for Misa and put her own in her lap. Misa was about to dig in and Tei stopped her.

"Hey! Don’t be unthankful! Wait." She said and Misa's ears went down, her jaw closing. They were lucky they had gotten to the city safe and sound, and Tei wanted to acknowledge that. She folded her legs beneath her in a very un-lady like manner and folded her hands in front of her.

"Thank you spirits for guiding us this far. We ask that you please continue to guide and protect us, me especially. Thank you for the food we are about to receive." She said and sighed softly, breaking her chopsticks apart and holding the bowl in one hand, watching Misa take her queue to eat. They ate in silence. It was really tasty. Something that was sort of familiar to her, but not at the same time. Misa finished before she did, looking disappointed that most of the bowl was rice.

"Sorry, I'll try and get you more meat next time." She amended after swallowing, tilting the bowl to finish off her lunch. She sighed happily and patted her belly, full of food that should last her until tonight, tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Tei got off the ground and brushed the dust off her behind, bending over and grabbing Misa's paper bowls, now empty aside from some rice left, and threw them in a trash receptacle near the street. She dusted her hands off and put her hands on her hips, adjusting the strap of her bag. The task of getting some food was taken care of, but now she wasn't sure where to go. Republic City was huge. She didn’t know where to start looking for this General Tashi person. She folded her arms and watched the traffic go by, trying to use logic. If he was a General of the United Forces, and the world was technically at a time of peace, he would have to be in the city somewhere, probably in an office of some kind. She reasoned maybe she could get information regarding his whereabouts at a recruitment center. There had to be one in this metropolis. She was unsure of how to find the center though, not understanding the chaotic array this city possessed; Nothing like Ba Sing Se, the city of order. She sighed and walked down the street, her best friend in tow, just wandering and thinking. The vendors watched her pass by, the street not very crowded with pedestrians. She wasn't even sure if it was a work day or a weekend day. She felt like she spent an eternity in that cargo car. The satomobiles passed back and forth along the wide road as she walked. Tei finally came to the conclusion that maybe people of authority could direct her to where she needed to be. Now with a goal in mind, her feet carried her faster, from a lazy saunter to a brisk walk into the heart of the city.

The deeper into the city she got, the more people she saw. More and more people around her kind of intimidated her. It was people she didn't know. People she couldn't connect with. People she had nothing in common with. Yet people she was supposed to save. Children holding their mother's hands as they cross the roads, men in dressy clothes, and elders littered the sidewalks. At this point, the traffic had congested so badly almost no movement was going on now between the cars. The blowing of a high pitched whistle caught her attention and there was an officer standing in the middle of an intersection. Perfect. She jogged towards him, bumping into people and saying quick apologies as she tried to reach him. When she did she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me!" She yelled over the noise of the car honking and the traffic racing by. The officer looked to her and the whistle fell from his lips, falling around his neck. He stared at her for a minute, like he was stunned and then shook his head as if he were trying to clear his mind.

"Hey! You can't be out here! Get back on the sidewalk!" He yelled, motioning to the curb.

"Please, I need to get to the United Forces Center!" She yelled back, clutching the strap of her bag to her chest. Misa was hunched low, uncomfortable in the middle of traffic.

"Go down 7th and it's on the 400 block! Big flag! Can't miss it!" He yelled and motioned for her to go passed him, down the street. She nodded.

"Thank you!" She hollered and ran off the street, Misa running beside her. She looked back and saw that she was on 12th avenue. She looked left and right and had to use a little bit of street smarts. The way the city seemed to be laid out, the street she was on was parallel to Yue Bay. She came to the conclusion that number must increase the further the street was from the bay. She looked westward towards the bay and started her trek through traffic and people. Five city blocks was nothing compared to the districts in Ba Sing Se, taking less than thirty minutes to get on 7th avenue. She started looking for numbers and meandered her way down to the 400 block. It didn't take her long to find the building, a huge crimson flag with a golden symbol for the United Republic flew high in the sky, the flagpole right outside a large brick and glass building. Her and Misa walked towards the door and she stopped at the alleyway just before the building, thinking.

"Misa, I'm sorry, but I think you should stay here." She said and pointed to the dark alleyway. Misa huffed in the only way a saber tooth sand leopard could, by growling low and soft.

"Look, I don’t like leaving you alone in this city either, but I don’t think bringing you inside with these… polished and straight cut people will leave the right impression." Misa whines and rubbed her giant head into her side.

"I know, I won’t be long I promise." She said and rubbed behind her ear, hooking her large bag around her companion's shoulders, knowing she could protect her stuff. Misa lingered for a moment and slinked into the alleyway, curling up on the dry ground and hiding behind some trash cans. Tei sighed and walked away, feeling anxiety crawl through her stomach as she pushed open the glass door. There was a woman in uniform at the front desk, her hair in a high wolf tail. Before Tei came up to her fully to woman's eyes took her in and an eyebrow raised.

"May I help you?" She asked politely. Finally, someone with etiquette. Tei stood in front of the woman with her arms at her sides.

"Um… Is General Tashi in?" She asked tentatively. The woman looked down at her schedule.

"Do you have an appointment?" Tei started to panic. So he was here. But how to see him was quickly becoming a task.

"Um no, it's an emergency." She pressed her hands on the desk, hoping there would be no more questions.

"What kind of 'emergency'?" The woman looked back to Tei with a suspicious look.

"A family emergency." She lied before she could even think.

The woman sighed and picked up the phone, dialing an extension.

"General Tashi, I have a young woman out here who says she needs to see you. Says it's a family emergency." She paused to listen for a moment and looked the girl over. "I'm not sure, anywhere from 18 to maybe 25? It's hard to tell." Tei folded her arms and huffed. She got this a lot. Her height and face said 17 years old, but her body, breasts in particular, said 25. No one ever knew how old she was. She wondered why that mattered to the General. The woman continued to speak. "Earth Kingdom clothing." She paused again and listened. She sighed. "Yes, sir." She said and hung up the phone. She pointed with her pen.

"Take that hallway down and make a left, take the elevator up to the 5th floor, the recruitment center, and they will greet you." She said and looked back to the girl, still suspicious about the whole thing.

"Thank you, I deeply appreciate your time." She said and bowed softly and took off down the hall, making the left as told and pushing the button for the elevator, wondering if she did it right. It opened instantly, startling her a bit and she got inside. The doors closed and there was music playing that was quite enjoyable. She looked at the panel of buttons and read each one before deciding to press 5. The elevator jerked to life and her stomach dropped, her hands grabbing the railing as the metal box flew to the higher floor. With a soft ding, the elevator stopped and the doors opened, revealing a small foyer with a line of men all behind desks and in uniform. She stepped out and headed to the middle of the office space, hearing a wolf whistle in the background. She turned to see where it had come from and a group of men standing by a water tank were smiling, a few of them looking away. Tei blushed and felt self conscious, fiddling with the bracelet around her wrist. She walked a little further and her heard the screeching of a metal chair against the tiled floor. She looked and a man was walking towards her. She stopped and smiled.

"I assume you are the one looking for the General?" he said and a few other men came closer, wondering what was going on looking over the short woman a little too much. She nodded.

"Yes, it's a family emergency." She said, trying to sound confident.

"That's funny, the General doesn’t have any family. He's unmarried." The man said and held his hands on his hips, looking down on her.

"I'm his daughter." She lied quickly.

"I knew it!" One of the men behind her shouted and came up to her, patting her on the back. "I knew he had to have some illegitimates running around! Where's Lee? He owes me fifty yuans!" The man said and ran off, the others laughing. The man who originally talked to her just smiled.

"What here, I'll go get him." He said and walked off towards a huge mahogany door, peaking his head in. It didn’t take long before a man in a red uniform came and a fully metaled lapel out and slowly walked towards her. All the men in their grey uniforms and boots were gathered around her, waiting with smiles and anticipation at their encounter. He walked up to her slowly and she took him in. He was tall, of course, though everyone was tall when you were the size of a child. He had a thick build and fair skin with deep emerald green eyes and thick black hair, combed and parted to the side. He was young. Strikingly young. Maybe 37 years, Tei guessed. He smiled as he took her in, understanding what his secretary meant about the age. He walked right up to her and held out his hand. She took in gingerly and he smiled, bowing softly.

"Your name?"

"My name is Tei." She said softly. He smiled and came out of his bow, letting go of her hand.

"And your age please, Miss Tei?" He asked, laying on extra charm. She blushed and her hands came together as they usually did when she was nervous. The men were listening intently, hoping desperately that she was of legal age, pigs as they were.

"I am 22, General." She said and held her head high. There was something that ran across his eyes, an emotion she didn't catch. He smiled and put his hands on her sounders.

"So then, you're my daughter?" He asked, a smirk on his face. She nodded and he motioned towards his office. "Come with me, we have a lot to talk about." He said and he walked towards his office, her in tow. The men stared after her, a few of them following a few steps and she walked into his office, taking a seat. The General shot his subordinates a look that told them to mind their own business and closed his door, locking it. Tei fidgeted with her bracelet as he walked around to his desk, sitting in his executive chair and folding his hand over his mouth, his elbows on the desk. It was quiet for a while, the silence making her very uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, General, I don’t know where to start." She muttered, looking down.

"Tashi." He said softly, with a smile.

"What?" She looked up and was caught in his gaze.

"Please, just call me Tashi. No titles, no formalities between you and I."

"But Gen-, Tashi. I'm not-"

"You're not my daughter." He said and smirked, resting his hands on his desk. He knew. He was aware.

"And you played along anyway?"

"You are someone of importance. Why else would you lie? You don’t seem to pose a threat."

Tei sighed and leaned forward in her chair.

"This is going to sound completely insane, but I am Tei of the Earth Kingdom… and I am the Avatar." The words came out as a whisper at the end, still not completely convinced. She cringed internally, waiting for him to accuse her of lying. He just chuckled and rolled up his sleeve, showing a faint, white tattoo of a lotus on his shoulder. He rolled his sleeve back down.

"I am aware of who you are." He said and stood up from his desk, coming around to lean on the edge across from her.

"You're not cross with me for lying about who I was?"

"No, young Avatar. You did what you had to, and you were clever at that. I'm impressed."

"No, please, I don’t feel I deserve that title."

"But you do. It's your birthright. It's who you are. How long have you known?"

"Only a few days. How long have you known?" She asked.

"You gave yourself away. Earth Kingdom, 22, coming to see me with no interest in a military career? Who else could you possibly be?" He said and crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry. I was told to come to you by Avatar Korra. She said you could guide me to a firebending master. She said you would be able to keep my identity a secret because…"

"Yes, I am aware of that too. Another member of the Order has informed me of the situation about to escalate in Ba Sing Se. We are all on high alerts, the members of the White Lotus I mean." He paused and looked to her, motioning for her to stand. She did and he pulled her into an embrace.

"They looked for you. They searched everywhere for you. I'm so happy you are safe." He said and she blushed. She wasn't sure how to react so she just hugged him back, him clearly having a very emotional moment. He sighed and patted her back, pulling away from her.

"Forgive me. You don’t know how much this means not just to me, but to the world. We were lost for a while, but now we have you." He smiled down at her and she smiled back, trying to accept the moment for what it was. Just him, finding hope again. She felt her eyes daring to give way to tears and she looked down.

"Come now, none of that." Tashi said and laughed through his words, trying not to cry himself. he cleared his throat and straitened his uniform. "I'll take care of you from here on out. You're in good hands."

"Thank you, Tashi." She said and gripped her elbows.

"So!" He said and clapped his hands together. "Are you ready to meet your firebending master then?"

"I can't say I'm not nervous, but I need to do this. This is my destiny now."

"Sounds like a yes to me. Come on," He said and opened the door, seeing the other soldiers hurrying to get back to work. She followed him back to the elevator and she frowned.

"Where are we going?" She asked as the doors closed.

"All the way to the basement. He's down there training, as usual." He says and presses the button labeled 'B3'. "You'll like him. I've known him for about 10 years now, he's my best friend. He's really nice, once you get to know him."

Tei laughed. "That usually means they're an asshole until you get used to them."

"Beggars can't be choosers now, can they?" He said and laughed himself. The elevator jerked to life and her stomach dropped again.

"No, but he's nice." He continued. "He's got a lot of walls, so just be nice and you will get to him eventually."

"Hmph. Sounds like a lot of work." She said and folded her arms.

"Tei, your whole life is going to be work from this point on."

She sighed and knew he was right. No more simplicity. No more little shop, no more daily routine. Everything was changing so fast and she didn’t know if she could keep up. The elevator stopped and the doors slid, opening into a painted brick hallway. He took her down the hall and passed a men's and women's locker room to some big swinging double door's with a window. Tashi saw the figure he was looking for.

"Yeah, there he is, let's go, shall we?" He smiled and opened the door, holding it for her. They entered the open gymnasium and there was a figure punching a bag over near the opposite wall that was chained form the ceiling. He was in black pants and no shirt, his hands wrapped in white tape and his wrists wrapped in black. He had short black hair that had been buzzed off recently and his skin was dark, too dark to be a firebender.

"Lieutenant! Can you come over here please?"

The man held the bag steady and looked to Tashi, wiping his brow with the back on his arm. He walked towards them and he barely noticed Tei, his focus on Tashi. When he stood before them he was panting, obviously in the middle of a thorough workout.

"General Tashi, is something wrong?" He said and finally glanced to Tei, of whom was blushing. The man before her was soaked in sweat and was very muscular, just as tall as Tashi was. His eyes met hers and she noticed that they weren't gold, they were a russet color that matched handsomely with his dark skin. Nothing about him said firenation. She didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't this.

"I have someone I want you to meet." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder and stepping beside her. "This is Lieutenant Jinru of the United Forces, trainer for new recruits. Jinru, meet your new firebending pupil." Before Jinru could protest, Tei blurted out what she was thinking.

"That's ludicrous. How can a waterbender teach my anything about firebending?"

Jinru glared at Tei and back to Tashi. He noticed her earrings of silver, her locket, her bracelet; all of fine metal. He started to unwrap his fists and spoke harshly.

"Is she a new recruit?"

"No-"

"Then you can take this spoiled brat and send her packing. I won't train someone so insolent."

"Hey!-" Tei protested but a hand on her shoulder cut her off.

"Jinru, please." Tashi pleased. "This is Tei of the Earth kingdom. She is the Avatar."

Jinru stopped unwrapping his hands and didn't look up to either of them. He was battling himself. On the one hand, he was shocked that she even existed, let alone that he would have the opportunity to train her. On the other, she had already insulted him by playing the waterbender card, leaving a nasty taste in his mouth towards this small yet very attractive girl. He sighed and looked to Tashi.

"Do I have to?" He grumbled.

"Well, I am your commanding officer, so yes I'm afraid. You need to keep her safe, keep her hidden. No one can find out who she is, I'll brief you later. Take her to the training room on B4. It's yours to use from now on. I will give the command that it's off limits."

"Okay then, I guess it's settled." He said and finished unwrapping his hands. He looked to Tei with an intense disgust. "Meet me in the gym tomorrow morning, 7am. Just press B4 on the elevator."

"Okay…" She said suspicious still that he was not a firebender.

"Where are you staying?" Tashi asked her.

"Oh! Um… well I was kind of a stowaway on the train that brought me here, so I don’t have a place to stay yet, but I have money to pay for a hotel, if you can just tell me where the nearest one is." She said all together, looking from Tashi to Jinru. Tashi just laughed.

"Wow, what an adventure already. No. You won't be spending any of your own money on this trip. You can stay with the Lieutenant. "

"Sorry?" "Excuse me?" They said in unison and shared a glare at each other. Tashi closed his eyes and turned to Jinru with a wide smile.

"Well, with your pay and that large penthouse you have there should be no reason why your new student can't stay with you."

"Tashi, be reasonable!" He argued.

"Jin, what if someone were to find her? What would we do?"

"I'm not a child! I got here by myself, didn’t I?" She argued. She didn’t want to stay with a man she barely knew. But there was one catch. "Oh wait… do hotels allow pets?"

"What kind of pets?" Tashi asked, a little skeptical. She hesitated and tapped her two index fingers together.

"Um… a Saber Tooth Sand Leopard?"

"You've gotta be kidding me. Tashi, I already can't handle this girl!" Jinru said and his hand went though his short hair.

"Is it tame?" Tashi asked, ignoring his subordinate.

"Of course! She's like a big bearded cat! She only gets mean if someone threatens me or her." She defended.

"Okay then, no problem!" he said and put a hand on Jinru's shoulder. "I'll brief you tomorrow before you start her training! See you two tomorrow!" He said and excused himself. As soon as he was at the door, Tei turned back to Jinru. There was a moment between them where there were sparks, and not the good kind. He took a step towards her and opened his hand, producing a large flame. Her olive green eyes widened in surprise and she couldn't look away from the beautiful yellow orange flame. It was quickly extinguished, leaving the smell of ash in its wake.

"Never question my bending abilities again." He said and walked passed her towards the doors. She followed him and he went into the men's locker room. She sighed and leaned against the wall, feeling so ashamed and stupid. He took a while, about twenty minutes. He came out in the same black pants but with a sleeveless red shirt on and his hair a little matted. Tei figured he must have taken a shower. She didn’t miss how the fabric stretched across his chest, blushing again and looking away. He grabbed a bag on the floor near her and pulled his keys out of his pocket. Jinru walked away from her and she followed him to the elevator. He pushed the button to go to the upper level before she had even gotten inside, understandable angry with her still. She sighed when the doors closed and tried to make amends.

"I'm sorry for assuming you were something you are not. I guess I shouldn’t judge on appearances. Won't happen again, Lieutenant." She said softly. He accepted her apology with a nod but didn’t dismiss the pretense of titles between them when she had addressed him, showing that thick wall that Tashi had mentioned. She wondered how he would address her from this point on, by her title or her name? When they reached the lobby he was the first one out of the elevator, Tei in tow. He was out the glass door in seconds and heading down the street. They rounded the corner of the building together and turned down the alleyway she had seen earlier. Before she could explain, Misa jumped out from behind a garbage can, baring her teeth and growling at Jinru, making him stop short mid-step. Tei came around his body and scolded her.

"Misa, stop! He's a friend!" She said and held out her hands to protect him. When she saw her owner she was happy, her tail up in the air and rubbing against her side.

"'Tame', huh?" Jinru sneered at her and she grabbed the bag from her friend.

"She was doing her job and protecting my stuff. She's nothing but a big softie though." She said and slung the bag over her body, leaning down and kissing the top of Misa's head. "Isn't that right? You're just an overgrown house cat." She cooed and scratched under her chin, earning a sandpaper lick to the face. "You can pet her if you want."

"No thank you." He said and walked passed them, heading behind the building. The girls followed and when they reached the end of the alleyway there was a huge parking lot behind the building. Jinru led them to his car, a small fire red satomobile and got inside. Tei opened the back door for Misa and she climbed in tentatively, never having been in one before. She set her bag next to her friend and closed the door, slipping into the front with Jinru.

The ride was quiet and Tei was anxious about it, feeling that he was probably thinking a million bad things about her. She fiddled with her bracelet, her locket, her fingers, her hair, pretty much anything on her person to try and make the anxiety better. She didn't pay attention to the signs of the streets as they blurred by, figuring she was going to be going with him back to the center tomorrow anyways. When they finally arrived, they parked on the street right next to the curb. He silently turned off the car and got out, Tei and Misa right behind him with her overstuffed bag. He grabbed his bag from the trunk and led them into a large revolving door that entered into a fancy lobby. She looked around and was in awe. This wasn't something she could ever afford. This was upper ring kind of stuff.

"You coming?" She heard him yell from the elevator. She shook her head and they jogged over to him, the three of them fitting perfectly inside. The wood paneled doors closed and he pushed the '3' button. Tei sighed. She was quickly becoming annoyed at elevators. She didn’t like the way they made her stomach flip. Misa was not exactly happy about it either. When the ride was over, he exited the box and she all but jumped at the chance to get out, following him to his door, 3A. He unlocked the door and left it open for her as he entered, tossing his keys onto a side table near the door. Misa ran inside to investigate and Tei came in, shutting the door and locking it behind her.  
The insides where very clean and modern, not overly decorated. It was simple, yet nice. Nothing like she had expected. She thought to herself maybe she needed to stop expecting things. She took off her shoes and left her bag at the door, walking further into the home, a smell of something delicious wafting to her.

"What's that amazing smell?" She shouted into the house, trying to find the kitchen. She did and there was Jinru, at the island of the kitchen and drinking something bottled and chilled. He wasn't cooking anything. She looked over to his left and there was a girl, taller than herself by a few centimeters but so impossibly thin it made her self-conscious. She had gorgeous thick, wavy black hair that was down to the middle of her back and skin a few shades lighter than Jinru's. The girl was wearing a white apron over her short red dress and turned to Tei, an icing tube in her hand.

"Oh! You brought home a girl? It's not even Friday yet!" She smiled and looked to Jinru. "Do I need to leave you two alone tonight?" She smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Kiko, stop. She's my newest pupil."

"Ah, so a new recruit then! Why is she here?"Kiko inquired.

"I'm not a military recruit." Tei said softly.

"She's the avatar." He added flatly.

There was a tense moment of silence between the three of them, Kiko setting down the icing back and rubbing her hands on her apron. She looked between Jinru and Tei, trying to fathom what he and just said.

"But… there is no Avatar. The Avatar is nothing but a legend. It doesn’t exist anymore." She stared at Tei in disbelief.

"Yeah, well tell that to Tashi."

"What's he got to do with this?" She asked, folding her arms.

"I'm officially her babysitter." He said and looked away from Kiko, taking a drink from his bottle.

"What?" She asked and turned to Tei.

"Um, General Tashi assigned me to live here with you and Lieutenant Jinru while I train and master firebending." She felt a furry body brush passed her and Kiko's eyes went wide in shock. "Well, Misa and I."

"Oh my Koh! She's beautiful! Is she safe?" Kiko asked, excitedly holding out her hands and walking towards her.

"Yeah, go ahead!"

Kiko got down on her knees and rubbed the leopard's ears.

"Who's the most beautiful girl in the world, huh? Who's a good leopard?" She baby talked and Tei laughed and Misa actually started to purr. Jinru rolled his eyes and tried to not pay them any attention. Kiko stood up and looked to Tei.

"So, you're the Avatar huh?" She smiled and folded her hands.

"Yes, I am." She said and smiled.

"You're very pretty for an Avatar. My name is Kiko, I am his little sister."

Tei blushed and smiled. "That's kind of you, Kiko. My name is Tei. It's nice to meet you."

The girls exchanged a smile and Tei, looking the girl over blurted out a compliment. "Please give me your hair." She instantly wished she had a filter. The girl has the same eyes as her brother. She could have said something about that.

Kiko just laughed. "I was thinking the same thing about yours! It's so nice and straight! I can't ever do anything with mine, it's too thick!"

They fell into a laughter together and Tei felt at ease for the first time in days.

"Where is all of your stuff?"

"In my bag by the door."

"Go grab you bag and I'll show you to your room, since my brother lacks the skills of a proper host." She said and shot a look at her brother. He just shrugged and Tei walked away, him turning his attention to the fridge.

"Stay out of there! When I'm done with the cake I'll start dinner." She scolded him and he grumbled, Tei coming back to Kiko's side with her bag. She smiled to her and Kiko grabbed her hand.

"Come with me." She said brightly and lead her down the hallway. "This is our bathroom, you can wash up before dinner if you want." She said pointing to the door but continuing on. There was a door at the end of the hallway and Kiko opened it up for her, stepping inside before she did.

"Welcome home." She said simply and Tei looked around. The room was simple, modern, clean, but with a warm luxurious feel. It was so nice, she felt like she was staying at a fancy hotel.

"Thank you, Kiko." She said and bowed to her softly, the girl leaving her in peace so she could unpack. It didn't take her long, putting her clothing away. She took off all of her jewelry and left them on the night stand while Misa curled up on the bed. She took her bag full of toiletries into the bathroom along with a fresh pair of panties and a night gown she had never worn. She ran the shower nice and hot, closing the door and starting to undress. After she was naked, as she preferred to be, she let her hair down, putting the hair band in her bag. She grabbed a washcloth from the cupboard and a towel, setting the towel on the sink and stepping in the shower. Meanwhile, the siblings in the kitchen were having an argument.

"What do you mean she can't stay?" Kiko said, her arms crossed.

"I can't live with her!" He growled, his hands going through his hair.

"What could she have possibly done in the few hours you have known her?"

"She called me a waterbender!"

"And she's half right!"

He growled again and folded his arms.

"Does she have anywhere else to go?" Kiko asked, trying to be on the young Avatar's side, knowing her brother could be over emotional at times and not listen to reason. He hesitated in answering.

"She said she had money. She said she could live in a hotel."

"What a great idea! Let's send someone the world doesn't know exists to a hotel with her larger than life sand leopard and have her NOT attract attention as to who she is! Brilliant!"

"Well she sure as hell can't stay here, I'll have to talk to Tashi."

"So you are going to make that poor girl go broke trying to support herself?"

"She's not poor, did you see her jewelry?"

"Damn it Jin, open your eyes! She's an earthbender! Probably a metalbender too! Did you see the way she looked at this house? This is going to be the nicest place she has ever stayed. She's not made of money and she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Whatever money she has, she worked hard for it, something you two have in common."

He huffed and she opened her mouth to defend her more, but a sound interrupted them.

"What's that?" He said, looking passed the kitchen archway. They listened a bit more and followed the sound, both of them standing outside the bathroom door.

"Is she… singing?" he asked and they listened.

"… Come up here, hide in this tree. Be with me today, only. Fall asleep inside my arms. Let me hold you, do no harm. Be forever us together we can whether through this storm… Love you always day by day, no matter where you are from..."

"She sounds beautiful." Kiko whispered.

"It's a lullaby."

"Hmm?"

"It’s a lullaby. An old Earth Kingdom lullaby. Her parents must have sang it to her when she was young."

"Why would a grown woman sing a lullaby to herself?"

Jinru didn't have an explanation.

X

When her hair was dried she put on her panties and nightgown that was basically an oversized green shirt that went down to her knees. She had packed a sports bra and she was thankful, not wanting to go braless in front of people she didn't know well. She put her hair into a high wolf tail and put her bag under the sink, throwing her clothes in the hamper. It all felt so weird to her. Like she was supposed to feel at home, but something was off. She sighed and exited the bathroom, turning off the lights and heading into the kitchen. She saw Kiko over a large pot and Jinru at the kitchen table, doing some paper work Tashi's secretary had dropped off while she was in the shower. They were all about her and she didn’t even know.

"Smells good." Tei said softly and came beside Kiko. She smiled and offered her the spoon to taste. She took a sip and it was spicy, but not overly so. It was rich and good.

"Very good, can't wait!" She said and Kiko stirred the pot.

"We have this stew over rice. It's a pretty basic dish, but I toned down the spices for you. I don’t know how much United Republic or Fire Nation food you have had."

"Not a whole lot, but I did get this beef bowl thing earlier that was really good." She said and they girls smiled. Kiko turned off the heat and brought the pot over to the table where the rice was waiting.

"Put work away Jin, not during dinner."

He sighed and closed up the files, setting them on the desk near the window. the sun was setting and the siblings hadn't changed into their sleeping clothes yet. She wondered how late they stayed up. Tei sat at the table and looked down at her hands laying in her lap, her fingers finding each other as she avoided the angry, tense aura around Jinru. Kiko passed them bowls of rice covered in the stew and she folded her hands, bowing her head. Jinru cleared his throat and spoke softly.

"We thank the spirits for the good fortune we have been blessed with. We ask that you continue to be with us all as the journey laid out before us is treacherous, dangerous, and possibly the hardest thing some of us have ever done. We thank you for the food we are about to receive."

They started to eat and Tei ate too, in silence. She wasn't sure what to say. She felt bad about being a burden on them. She started thinking how she could contribute.

"I can pitch in for groceries and food for Misa, I have money…" She said out of nowhere, meekly.

Kiko stopped eating and looked to Jinru, who swallowed and looked to his sister for a brief moment. He returned his gaze down to his food.

"It's not necessary." He said softly.

"No really, I can help. please let me help." She asked and looked to him.

"It's alright, really." He said and looked to her briefly, his eyes meeting hers for just a moment. In that moment she didn’t see anger, she saw an emotion flicker that she didn’t recognize. His eyes dropped and that unnamed emotion would haunt her for the rest of the night. She finished her dinner and stood up, grabbing her bowl and washing it in the sink. She placed it on the drying rack and turned to the siblings.

"I'm going to turn in. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Tei." Kiko said and Jinru kept eating.

She walked down the hall and into the room that was now hers, closing the door and waking Misa. She sighed and took off her clothes, letting them be in a small pile beside her bed before slipping onto the fluffy cloud. She sighed out of happiness when she laid down. It was the most comfortable thing she had ever felt. She covered herself up and Misa cuddled up to her back, falling asleep quicker than she had ever imagined.


	3. Training Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This story has all but consumed my thoughts, you have no idea. I have just been too busy to post anything. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think. Not that it will change the plot, but I still want to know what you all are thinking out there. Here's chapter three.

Kiko was cooking breakfast in the kitchen when she heard the noise. A low scratching sound coming from down the hall way, just audible over the food's snaps and pops. She put down her spatula and turned down the heat of the eggs, walking down the hall.

The scratching got louder and louder the closer she got to Tei's door. She knocked loudly and asked before opening.

"Tei? You up?"

She didn't get a human response, just a low growl and more scratching. Kiko slowly opened the door and Misa came bounding out, going towards the kitchen.

"Don’t eat anything! That food isn’t for you!" She shouted and the door creaked open fully. She sighed and walked into the room.

"Tei, you need to- Ah!" She looked away but it was too late. She had seen Tei completely uncovered, sleeping naked. Kiko blushed and turned away from her. Tei stirred and opened her eyes.

"Is it morning already?" She asked, groggy and unashamed.

"Yeah, breakfast is almost ready. You should um, get dressed and come out."

"Alright." She sighed and grumbled and Kiko left quickly, shutting her door.

She sat up and looked out the window, the light coming in was orange and warm. She felt a sense of familiarity. This was about the time she usually was woken up by Misa. She folded her legs, looking around the room. She slowly started to realize that today was her first day of avatar training and her stomach started to knot. Before she could talk herself out of it she got up and dressed herself in a light grey tank top and some dark green shorts, putting her hair up in her usual style and putting on her locket and bracelet. She would never leave without them. Tei opened her door and walked to the bathroom, brushing her teeth and washing her face before coming out to the kitchen. When she did, she saw Kiko setting the table and Jinru at the end, paperwork all over the table and his eyes completely averted from her. She frowned. If this guy was going to train her she wanted to be on good terms with him. She didn’t see that as possible right now. Tei grabbed her arm and walked over to the table as a plate of eggs and a bowl of rice was set before her.

"Thank you. It smells amazing." She said and pulled out her chair, sitting and folding her hands in her lap.

"It's no trouble. Just our morning routine." Kiko smiled and sat across from her, her brother at the end. "Plan on eating with us?"

"Hmm?" He asked and looked up from the paperwork, seeing his food. "Oh, yeah."

He put down his pen, said a quick prayer and they ate in silence, utensil in one of his hands, a pen in the other. Tei looked him over and looked at the paper work, seeing her name a few times.

"Is all that paper work about me?" She asked without thinking.

He wasn't too kind in his response. "Unfortunately."

Tei tore her eyes away from the papers and finished her breakfast, washing her dishes when done.

"What does Misa eat?" Kiko asked as she got up with her dishes and Jinru's.

"About 2 pounds of raw meat twice a day. Are you sure you don’t want me to pitch in for groceries?"

"No, it's okay. We can totally cover it." She smiled and put the dishes in the sink.

"She's going to be mopey without me. Just a warning."

"It's okay. I'll feed her and let her out and stuff. If my brother is an Avatar sitter, I guess that makes me a sand leopard sitter." She frowned a little.

"I'm really sorry. She's just… she's everything to me." Tei said softly.

"It's fine, I can relate." She said and looked over to her brother with a smile.

"Lieutenant, should we get going?" Tei asked as she looked to the clock.

He looked up from his papers and glanced at the clock. "I suppose so." He sighed and started to get his paper work together, putting all the folders together and gathering them under his arm.

"I'll see you later tonight." He said to Kiko, walking past them towards the door. Tei followed and slipped on her shoes.

"Bye! Have a great day training and good luck." Kiko smiled and waved as Tei shut the door.

The car ride was silent. Tei folded her hands together and stared out the window. She felt vibes of negativity rolling off of Jinru and that made her completely anxious. Streets and people passed in a blur. The sun rising over the bay was beautiful. Much better that rising over a wall in Ba Sing Se. But she still missed home and missed her city where she was comfortable in what she knew. This place was full of people and customs she didn’t know. Unfamiliar and new. It would have been exciting if this was a vacation and not a life changing journey.

He parked the car in the lot behind the United Forces Center and got out, grabbing his paperwork. She climbed out and followed him through the alley and to the front door, walking up to the reception desk.

"Good morning Lieutenant Jinru." The receptionist said brightly and smiled to him. She looked pleased to see him until she saw Tei standing behind him.

"Good morning Riza." He smiled to her then gestured towards Tei. "She needs to be escorted to the new recruit examination."

"Sure, I'll take her." She smiled to him, completely ignoring her.

He turned to Tei and whispered softly but firmly. "Meet me in the 4th basement when you are done."

She nodded once and watched him walk off towards the elevators, papers and all.

The woman, Riza, stood and walked away from her desk, motioning for Tei to follow. She did, hands folded, and was lead down a hall and through a set of swinging double doors. Riza stopped and pointed.

"Go down the rest of the way and off to the left there will be a nurses station. Check in there and follow their instructions." She said in a sour tone and Tei couldn’t help but notice.

"Riza, was it? You don’t like me much." She said and looked down the hall. Riza put her arm down and came a step closer to her.

"You are a liar, therefore unsafe. But I will continue to operate under the commands of the officers here. After all, I am just a secretary." She said and took her leave, not wanting to have her station unmanned for very long. As she left Tei was sure the hall got colder.

She walked herself down the hall and sure enough, there was a nurse sitting behind a desk, in a slate blue dress and shoes with a matching hat. She looked up from her newspaper and saw Tei, smiled and stood.

"New recruit?" She said in a warm friendly tone that helped thaw Tei's limbs.

"I am here under Lieutenant Jinru's direction. I am supposed to get an exam?" She questioned, hoping it sounded good enough. The nurse came from behind the desk and grabbed a chart.

"Alright then, follow me please." She said with another smile and started walking away. Tei followed her to room and walked inside, closing the door behind them.

"Okay, name and origin please?"

"Tei of the Earth Kingdom."

She scribbled onto the chart.

"Nice to meet you Tei. My name is Seba. Your age?"

"Twenty-two."

She scribbled again.

"Okay, I need you to undress please and step on the scale. You can put your clothes in the chair."

She nodded and stripped, putting her clothes in a little pile on the chair. Tei stepped onto the metal contraption and the nurse took her weight.

"Normal. As suspected." She pulled out a metal bar that rested on top of Tei's head. "On the short side though, 152." She scribbled again and pointed to a cushioned table. "Please come and lie on your back."

Tei did as told and was a little uncomfortable. She wondered if this was normal, never having been to any type of doctor's office. She lay on her back and the coldness of the table made her skin prick all over. The nurse set her chart down and bent water from a bucket near the sink. She made the water hover over Tei's body, focusing on her chest and abdomen.

"You have a good pulse. Strong muscles but flexible." She smiled again and sent the water away, grabbing her pen and writing some more on Tei's chart. "Are you sexually active?"

"What?!" She squeaked and her legs came together reflexively. Seba gave her a curious look.

"You're an adult, it's fine. I just need to know if you are so I can examine your-"

"No! Spirits!" Tei's eyes were wide with horror. "No need for that. I'm not… active." She said softly.

Seba nodded and wrote a quick note on her chart.

"Have you even been?"

"No." She murmured and looked away. Seba scribbled again.

"Tei, I'm not here to judge you. I am a skilled healer and nurse for the United Forces. My only job is to make sure you are completely healthy."

Tei nodded and fiddled with her necklace.

"Have you ever been to a women's clinic before?"

Tei shook her head.

"I know it will be uncomfortable, but I think you really should let me examine you."

She sighed and finally nodded.

"If you think it's best."

X

"Okay, all finished. I'll leave your chart with you. Please take it to the Lieutenant when you are done." Seba took her gloves off the threw them away, turning to Tei before leaving. "And don’t worry, you did fine." She smiled and let herself out, Tei sitting up with a shaky sigh. That was the most uncomfortable thing she had ever experienced. She hopped off the table and dressed quickly, grabbing her papers and leaving the exam room. She came back up to the desk and Seba was there again.

"Which way to the elevators please?"

"Take that hallway and then take a right, go through the silver doors. Can't miss them. "

"Thank you, for everything." She said and realized she was blushing.

"Of course. Say hi to the Lieutenant for me!" She smiled and went back to her newspaper.

Tei took the hall and went through the doors finding the same elevators she had yesterday. She pushed the button and eventually one opened up for her. She stepped in and pressed the button for the fourth basement. The ride was quicker this time and she was thankful for that, her legs shaky from her exam. When the doors opened she was met with a soldier that held a deadly glare and an even more offensive posture.

"This area is off limits under the command of General Tashi himself."

She stepped off the elevator and smirked at him.

"My name is Tei, I'm the reason those orders were given. Stand down."

He blinked and returned to a normal, respectable stance.

"Apologies Miss Tei." He said in a softer tone. He must have been older than her by just a few years. She thought to herself he was really cute, but not why she was here.

"None needed." She smiled and walked off down the hall to the large gym doors. She didn’t see anyone but entered anyways, not getting a few steps in before realizing he was waiting in a chair by the door.

"Took you long enough." Jinru said and stood, walking over to her and holding his hands out for the charts. She passed them and sighed.

"It wasn't my fault. Blame your nurse, Seba. She wanted to examine every orifice I had! She sends her regards by the way."

Tei swore she saw a smile play on his lips before he really started to read her chart. She crossed her arms while he read the five page report, flipping through the pages at a turtleduck's pace. It crossed her mind that there were things on that chart she didn’t exactly want him to see. She thought about ripping it out of his hands but that would probably earn her a scolding. So instead she just blushed furiously and looked at her shoes. He got to the last page and let out a laugh.

"Something funny, Lieu?"

"Oh, just Seba being Seba." He smiled and took the chart over to his chair and set it down.

"What does that mean?"

"She feels the need to examine every woman that comes through here no matter what. She's always a little over worried about women's health."

"You knew and you didn’t warn me?"

"It's not a big deal. It's just a medical exam. You're 22. You should have had, what, 8 of them by now?"

"Easy for you to say." She said and crossed her arms again. "Can we just get to training already?"

"Alright." He said and strode to the side of the gym, grabbing some cushioned mats and unfolding them in the center of the room. "On your back."

"My back? How can I firebend on my back?"

"Firebending? Yeah right. You aren't ready for that."

"Excuse me?"

"You have no breath control, no muscle control, no knowledge of forms, and you are way too soft."

"Too soft?"

"Lift your shirt. Show me your stomach."

She blushed but did as told, lifting her tank up to just under her breasts. She wished she had worn a bra today.

"See all that skin? Baby fat. I have never seen an earthbender with that much baby fat. It's got to go. Are you sure you are even an earthbender? Most of you are already bulked up by the time we get you."

"Well, now who's stereotyping?" She sneered and dropped her shirt. "Most of my bending is refined and intricate. I'm a blacksmith who can bend metal. So no, I'm not super buff like you. But I'm not scrawny either. Nurse Seba said I have strong, flexible muscles -"

"Let's exploit that. On your back, Avatar." He interrupted her rant and pointed to the mat. She wanted to growl at him but realized he was her trainer, whether she liked it or not. She kicked off her shoes and stomped over to him and flopped on her back.

"Hands under your ass." He commanded and she rolled her eyes but did so. He took the sash from around his waist and tied her feet together.

"Hey! What gives?"

"Balance. So your legs move together." He stood and looked her over. "Alright, legs up."

She did so and formed an L with her body.

"Half way down."

She hovered and felt the pull of her abs, just a mild burning. He waited 15 second but it felt like forever.

"15 centimeters from the ground."

She hovered over the mat and struggled to keep from falling. This 15 second was painful and hard.

"Halfway up."

An even worse struggle. She felt sweat beading on her neck. The wait to move was horrible.

"Up all the way."

She let out a sigh.

"The position you are in right now is your resting position. You will start and end each rep in this position. You will never touch the ground during this exercise. I have just showed you the five steps of this training exercise. You are only to move to the next step when I tell you."

"What's the purpose of this exercise?"

"So you learn to breath correctly."

"You're working out my abs, not my lungs."

"You'll figure it out sooner or later. Down!"

This lasted about twenty minutes before Tei gave up and her legs dropped to the ground. Her breathing was heavy and she was dripping in sweat. She closed her eyes and waited for him to start yelling at her, but instead he came forward and untied her legs. She pulled her knees up and let her legs slide away from each other, trying to catch her breath.

"Good, you're warmed up. Flip over."

She didn’t have the energy to argue. She turned onto her stomach rather ungracefully and rested her elbows on the mat to hold up her head.

"Push-ups. Nice and slow. Only your nose can touch the mat."

She hung her head in disapproval and hesitated.

"Now, Avatar!"

x

By the time the day was done, she had done a million push-ups, too many leg rises to count as he made her come back to that twice more, ran a couple miles and finished off the day with a billion crunches and some muscle stretches. She had her legs split to each side at a complete 180˚ and she was on her arms in the middle, stretching out the inside of her thighs. He had said she was done for the day three minutes ago, but she wasn't sure she could move. He moved behind her and something caught his eye. There were thick black markings on the back of her neck. At first he thought it was paint, but as sweat rolled down her neck he realized what it really was.

"I like your tattoo."

"What?" She asked, suddenly remembering what was scrolled on the back of her neck.

"Earth Is Strength." He read the calligraphy down her neck. "Is that where you draw your determination from, your native element?" He sounded honestly curious and kind. A stark contrast to the rest of the day.

"Some of it, yeah. From my own experience, I know I can do anything if I just try hard enough."

"Is that what made you get the tattoo? A reminder to others and yourself?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just wondering. I'm not sure about Ba Sing Se, but around here, in the city, tattoos usually mean gang affiliation."

His accusation hung in the air and Tei's patience with him had worn thin.

"I'm not in a gang or a delinquent if that's what you're getting at." She sat up and folded in her legs, gripping her knees. "Life in the lower ring is very different than it is here." She gripped her locket and closed her eyes. He didn’t bring it up again and let her get up and walk away to the door without any other conversation.

The car ride was silent, this time it was because of her. She didn’t really want to talk about her dad yet. She didn’t want pity in any form. No matter how much she missed him, she wanted to be strong and be able to stand on her own feet without handouts. She rolled her eyes. She was living for free in her Firebending Master's house, eating his food, and his sister was a sand leopard sitter. All of this was a handout. And General Tashi's involvement made things even easier for her. It was like all those years alone didn’t matter now and she was going to be handled and taken care of until she was ready to save the world, something she couldn't even comprehend doing.

She felt guilty. She didn’t want to be labeled a burden on anyone, much less this man she barely knew. She wanted that to change. She wanted to know him. Maybe even get a friendship out of this. She took in a breath and put her hands in her lap.

"So, Lieutenant. How long has your sister lived with you?"

He hesitated in answering, not really the type to open up and share just like Tashi had warned. Something whispered inside him to answer though.

"A-a few years."

"Did something happen with your parents?"

"Something like that." His tone was flat and stiff, telling her not to push the subject. She tried another subject.

"What about your arm bands? Do you always wear those?" She pointed to the black wrappings around both of his wrists and forearms. He shot her a look and she backed down immediately. She didn’t ask any more questions for the remainder of the ride.

When they got home she stumbled out of the car, catching herself on the door. He stopped and looked to her but didn’t ask anything, just watched to see if she was going to be okay. She got her bearings with shaky legs and shut the door. They walked together to the lobby and he waited for her to get inside the elevator. She had never been happier to ride in one than at that moment as she leaned against the wall for support. She closed her eyes for what felt like just a second and it was longer.

"Are you coming?" He called from far away and she opened her eyes, seeing him halfway down the hall way. She didn't even remember the elevator moving. She nodded and stumbled out of the metal box and to the door, following him inside. She closed the door and slipped off her shoes, collapsing on the couch just seconds after Misa jumped down.

"Welcome home!" Kiko called and came out from the kitchen. She smiled and looked Tei over, trying not to laugh. "How was training?"

Tei flung am arm over her eyes and groaned. "He's trying to kill me, I know it."

"No I'm not." He said from the other room loud enough for her to hear. She groaned again and one of her legs fell off the couch. Kiko laughed and crossed her arms.

"Either way, dinner is ready if you want to drag yourself in there." She walked back into the kitchen and Tei sighed, slipping her arm to her forehead. She contemplated not moving and sleeping on the couch, trying to forget that awful smell wafting off her body and how hungry she was. Eventually her stomach protested and she agreed with it; she needed food. Tei dragged herself into the kitchen like Kiko said and her food was already set for her. She didn’t even ask what it was when she plopped down, just eating silently. Kiko asked her brother what exactly he did to her today and Jinru recalled all the exercises like it was no big deal. Tei was too quiet to give him attitude. She finished dinner and washed her dishes.

"I'm going to take a shower and go to bed, that okay?"

"Sure." "Mmhm." They said together and looked to her. She nodded and went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower, assisted heavily by the tiled wall. When she was done she dried herself and realized not only did she forget to take off her jewelry, she forgot to grab clean clothes. She grunted and wrapped her body in a towel, tossing her clothes in the hamper and turning off the lights, planning on sneaking into her room.

She opened the door and turned the corner to go to her room, bumping into a wall. No it wasn't a wall. It was too warm to be a wall. And too red. She looked up and Jinru was looking down at her with a flushed expression. She looked away and pushed passed him.

"Sorry Lieu, forgot my clothes." She said like it was no big deal. He was left speechless and she was thankful. She wasn't really embarrassed about her body, but she didn’t exactly want her Master to see her nude either. She closed the door and tossed the towel into the corner, slipping into bed and passing out almost instantly, despite it only being seven o'clock.


	4. Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I don’t even know if anyone is reading this story. I'm more or less writing it for myself now. Which is just fine by me. I want the story to be written out and finished. I'll feel better. Here's the next chapter. Little bit of a time jump.

Several weeks passed and Tei was really shaping up to look like an earthbending cadet. Her muscles on her stomach and arms were much more defined. She went though her drills almost effortlessly now. She was still drenched in sweat at the end of the day, but she wasn't doing the basics anymore. She went through her firebending forms. She was punching and kicking bags, sparring with Lieutenant Jinru and easily avoiding his blows now. She wasn't so lucky when they first started, earning a few good hits to the jaw and some rather rough kicks in the side. Now she just flipped out of the way.

Jinru threw a roundhouse kick her way and she blocked it, moving inside and kicking the back of his leg. He stumbled and fell onto his hands and swung his legs, trying to take out her legs with his own. She jumped backward and flipped onto her hands, pushing off the mat and landing on her feet again; A perfect back flip. Jinru laughed.

"You sure you're an earthbender? You're not exactly staying grounded."

Tei winked at him and returned to her stance. "Gotta keep on my toes while fighting you, Lieutenant."

He got back up in his stance and smiled. "Want a break?"

"No way, I just got warmed up!" She said and bounced on the balls of her feet. "Unless you think you can't take a little girl?"

"There's that firebender spark I've been seeing lately." He smiled and they circled each other. "I was actually thinking of doing something new. But if you aren't interested-"

"No-no! New is good. New is… challenging." She smiled and they both fell out of their stance.

"Alright. Don’t get too excited, but it's going to be a step closer to firebending."

Before he could even finish she was squeaking in delight and jumping in place.

"I can't wait! Tell me, what are we doing?" She asked and laughed. He rolled his eyes.

"Okay, on your back."

She was instantly disappointed but knew better than to question him by now. She lay down on her back and put her hands under her butt reflexively.

"Leg rises."

"What?" She whined.

"Come on, up to the top."

She huffed and raised her legs all the way up, her body forming an L.

"Now, when you do these exercises I want you to sing."

"Sing what?"

"Anything. Anything that comes to your mind. It's going to help you learn to control your breathing. It's going to be hard at first, but once you master this, we'll try other things." He said and gave her the command to start, his hands folded behind his back.

"One soundless midday," She sang and he told her to go down.

"The wind was fresh and clean," down again.

"Flower petals sway in the breeze," up.

"As if they were asleep," up. She struggled on the last verse He smiled and nodded and she kept going. She did this for about ten minutes before her face was completely red and she gave up, letting her legs fall.

"Hey, you lasted longer than I thought you would." He said and she got up.

"Maybe you should stop underestimating me." She said with a gleam in her eyes. Their banter had gotten more playful over the weeks and Jinru had opened up a little more. He actually was showing a lukewarm kindness. Better than being completely frigid like he had been, in Tei's opinion.

He took her back to the punching bag and told her to sing while she let loose her fury on the bag. Her lyrics were soft and sweet but her blows were hard and powerful, Jinru having to hold the bag for her. She punched and kicked and sang her heart out until she was gasping for breath, sweat rolling off her skin. He told her to take a break and she sat on the floor facing away from the bag. She ripped off her tank top like it offended her and tossed it across the gym. She sighed at the relief and put a hand on her stomach, rubbing over her muscles. Jinru didn’t understand why she wore a tank top anymore, she always ripped it off halfway through the day and finished the day in her shorts and sports bra. He had a hard time figuring her out.  
Her chest heaved and he sat down across from her. He passed her a bottle of water which she took gratefully, downing half the bottle and gasping for air.

"Can I ask you something?"

She raised an eyebrow. He never initiated conversation like this. "Sure."

He hesitated like he was trying not to offend her.

"Why do you always sing lullabies?"

"I don't always sing lull-"

"You do. Not just today, but at home. When you sing in the shower…"

She paused and looked to the floor.

"Oh. I didn’t know you guys could hear that. Sorry."

He was quiet, his question hanging in the air. She studied his face, his deep russet eyes, and he was searching for the answer on her face. She bit her lip.

"I guess it's because those are the only songs I know."

He was quiet, still looking for more. The silence pulled the rest of the information out.

"They are all songs my dad would sing to me when I couldn't sleep or when I was sad or scared or just needed him. We didn’t have any other music. I didn't… I don’t know anything else." She faltered on the last line, her fingers gracing her locket for just a moment and falling.

"What's in your locket?"

"Eyes wondering, Sifu?" She joked and he blushed turning his head.

"Forget I asked."

She smiled and leaned back on her hands.

"I'll tell you." He turned back to her slowly and she had his full attention.

"He's a little shorter than you. Incredibly strong. Handsome. A real lady killer. Funny. A genius. Tan with rugged hands but a soft touch-"

"Sounds like a great guy." He cut her off, looking embarrassed again. "So he's what, your boyfriend?"  
She laughed so freely it made him stare.

"No way. He's my Dad."

"Oh. That's… nice, actually." She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a small smile on his lips. Instantly she was on her knees and crawling over to him, sitting on her knees in front of him.

"Do you want to see?" She offered and held the silver heart in her hand. He was quiet for a moment and he nodded, taking the heart and opening the latch and looking at the pictures, tugging Tei a little closer so he could see. She was very aware of how close he was to her, but he was completely taken by the pictures. He was quiet for a moment before commenting.

"Is he, like, huge or are you just tiny?"

"Little bit of both." She laughed and he looked at the pictures. One was a shot of Tei and Ryo together, the other was just Ryo's face.

"You have his eyes." He said softly and his eyes lingered on her pink scar for just a hair too long.

"Yeah, well, that's not all I got from him." She smiled and it tasted bittersweet, knowing she was stubborn among other things thanks to her father. Jinru closed the locket and placed it against her skin, withdrawing his hand quickly. He stood and offered a hand for Tei, something he didn’t normally do. She took it and they stood together.

"Back to training?"

"Lets spar again." He nodded and they got back in their circle, spending the rest of the day trying to pin one another to the mat. Tei almost succeeded a few times… almost. By the end of the day they were both tired and ready to go home and shower. Tei and Jinru walked out the gym doors and he headed towards the locker room. There was only one on this floor and it was unisex.

"You can use the shower here you know. There's like four of them in here."

"I'd rather not."

"I'm not going to look."

"I don’t have clean clothes to change into."

"You could bring some."

She sighed and folded her arms. "I will wait for you right here per the usual, thank you."

He grumbled something like 'suit yourself' and left as she waited. She could hear the water and waited for it to turn off. He was fast but she bet she could be faster. He came out in clean clothes with his bag and they walked to the elevator together. The ride up and the walk to the car gave her an opportunity to ask something.

"So, how did I do today? With the whole breath control, singing thing?"

"Hmm?" He asked, like he was being pulled from deep thoughts. "Oh, yeah you did good. We'll do more tomorrow. I have homework for you though."

"Oh really? What, you want me to sing you to sleep?" She teased and he rolled his eyes.

"No, you need to pick up some new music for your repertoire. Something fast. Something hard. Something fierce. Good training music. Music that is going to help you learn to breathe with your blows and also drive you to do more."

"Well, unless you want to take me to a music store and have me search for something like that, I hope you have something in mind."

The elevator door dinged open and they walked out to the lobby on their way to the car.

"I do actually. I know you don’t have much of a taste for technology-"

"Oh really? What tipped you off?" She said sarcastically. He ignored her and continued.

"I am going to let you borrow a personal music listening device." He got into his bag as they reached the car and grabbed something little and black with a black cord coming out of the bottom. They got into the front and he passed it to her, letting it sit on her leg. He took the cord which split on the end and had two earbuds on each end.

"Take these and put them in your ears."

She did as told and he tapped the device on her leg, pressing play and the display came to life, showing a picture of a maroon person on a grey background. The music started and she flinched. It was loud but she kind of liked it. He made her hold it and they started to drive home. The lyrics were fast and harsh and fierce and she felt like she needed to punch something and scream with the words. She listened and heard two guitars, amazing drums, some foreign sounds, and two singers, one who sung fast and clear, another who had a rough, screaming quality. It was amazing. Each song was better than the last. She hadn't realized her eyes were closed but suddenly she was being shaken and she ripped a bud out of her ear.

"What?" She asked and looked around. "Oh, we're home." She pushed the play button and the music stopped. She smiled, feeling accomplished that she figured out a piece of technology on her own. He gave her a look and rolled his eyes again. He did that a lot. She got out and wrapped the cord around the device, walking to the elevator with him.

"So, do you like it?"

"It's exhilarating! I can really train to this music. Oh, my heart is beating so fast. Will that wear off?" She said all at once and he laughed but didn’t answer her.

When they reached the door, Tei kicked her shoes off and yelled greetings to Kiko, who shouted back. Tei headed straight for the shower, stopping in her room to get clothes and then darting in the bathroom. She set her clothes on the sink as well as the device. She frowned and pulled the plug of the earbuds, wondering what would happen if she pushed play now. She did so and the song started up again to her delight.

"Not so hard." She smiled and undressed, taking a quick but hot shower. She danced to the music, but her dancing didn’t exactly match the genre, a little too much hip swiveling and less head rocking. She couldn't sing though, she didn't know the words yet.  
When she was done she got out and dried herself, getting dressed and drying her hair. She put her dry hair up in her normal style and threw her clothes in the hamper, walking out in her oversized shirt into the kitchen.

"Smells good, as always." She smiled and Kiko gave her a hug.

"Hey Tei. I hear you did some new stuff today." She said and took the food over to the table.

"Yes and she did a good job. Not a complete failure." Jinru said and Tei shot him a deadly glare, which just made him smile. He like antagonizing her.

"Also, I heard what you were listening to. Are you aware we are converting you?"

"To what?" She asked and sat at the table.

"To love alternative music?"

"Kiko, I don’t even know what that means."

The siblings laughed and Tei shook her head. The food was dished out and dinner was loud, talking excitedly about the music the songs and other types of music and how it can effect someone. When dinner was over Tei and Kiko cleaned up, Jinru heading off to bed early.

The girls relaxed in their pajamas in the living room. Tei lay on the plush rug on her back while Kiko was sprawled out on the couch, reading a magazine. Tei stared at the ceiling as the sun set, running her fingers through Misa's fur who was cuddled up next to her. Tei sighed and Kiko looked down.

"You okay?"

"Yeah…" She was quiet and Kiko tossed her magazine down.

"No you're not, what's wrong?"

"I just-" She groaned and sat up, folding her legs under her. "I just want to learn some firebending. I've been training for what, five weeks? I just feel like he doesn’t trust that I can do it."

"Tei, no. That's not it." She said and came to sit with her on the plush rug.

"Then what? That he doesn't trust me?"

"It's more complicated than that." Tei was about to ask but Kiko cut her off. "I can't tell you. He has to tell you. But there are some things you have to understand about his relationship with his element."

Tei waited and Kiko scooted closer, the two of them sitting in their nightgowns an arm's length from each other.

"Did he ever tell you why I live with him?" She asked tentatively. Tei shook her head. "Our father is from the Northern Watertribe, our mother is from the Fire Nation. We got our abilities from our mother, but we look like our father. You noticed that when you first met us." Tei nodded, remembering her accusation with humiliation. Kiko continued. "Our father is not a kind man. He was very abusive to us when we lived with him, to all three of us, Jinru, our mother and myself. He was verbally abusive to us girls… but Jinru got the worst of it. He was physically abused. There is a line between discipline and beating… and our father crossed that line many times with him." Tei shook her head, she couldn’t believe her ears.

"Kiko I'm so sorry… I don’t know what to say." She said and reached for Kiko's hands. Kiko smiled sadly.

"I'm not looking for you to be sorry, I need you to understand. Jinru is very reserved and very protective. He doesn’t want to be in danger or put anyone else in danger. He feels responsible for what happened to us. Like he should have stood up for us sooner. But it's not his fault. It's hard to fight water with fire. But what I want you to understand most is that we both have welcomed you into our home and, even if he won't dare say it, we accept you as our new family. He wants to make you wait until he thinks without a doubt that you are ready so you don’t hurt yourself or anyone else. He doesn’t lack trust in you or your ability. He is worried most that you will lack control."

Tei was quiet as they held hands, looking down and trying to wrap her head around this horrible tale.

"Do… do you think I lack control?" Tei asked softly and Kiko let go of her hands.

"Watch what I do." She said and held her hands out, producing a perfect orange and red flame in her palm. Tei looked in awe at it, the heat coming off of it so comforting.

"Imagine in the palm of your hand a flicker of life. Imagine it pulling the heat right from your body. Imagine that it's a part of your circulatory system, your heartbeat is it’s life, your breathing it's rhythm. Can you see it?"

She nodded.

"Keep that image in mind." Kiko brought the flame closer to her and closer until she slipped the little flame into Tei's palm, like passing a stone. The flame shimmered and flicked to life and withered, becoming smaller and dimmer, but still there.

"Can you feel it?"

"I can feel it. It's my life. It's my energy. It's me. It's part of me." She said with a shaky laugh, unable to believe she was holding a little flame in her hand. Her moment of bliss was cut short.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Tei gasped and her hands trembled, the flame lost. She looked up and Jinru was staring daggers at herself and Kiko. Before she could say anything, Kiko was on her feet and Jinru was right next to her, looking between the two of them, and Misa was on all fours, baring her teeth.

"Stop right there." She said and stepped between Tei and Jinru. "Just take a second and calm-"

"Do you have any idea how much danger you just put her in?" He snarled at Kiko.

"Wha-" Tei said but Kiko cut her off.

"She was doing fine. She was breathing great. She was great. She is ready-"

"That's not for you to determine!"

"Jinru!" She raised her voice and took in a breath. "Calm yourself. Breathe."

"And what of you, Avatar?" He spat at Tei. "Did you beg for her to give you fire?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Kiko yelled and that scared Tei more than Jinru yelling or Misa growling at the two of them. "You can make this a sibling rivalry thing all you want, but don’t you DARE blame her for something she didn’t even ask for!" Kiko hesitated as the words hit him properly. "I didn’t even ask her if she wanted it, I just gave it to her." She said softer but there was still a deadly edge to her words. The anger burning in Jinru's eyes bore into Tei's and then into Kiko's, taking a moment to breathe and close his eyes.

"Do not ever, and I mean ever, give her fire again. I am her Firebending Master. I will teach her the proper bending techniques. Not you." He said with a steady voice and opened his eyes, looking down at Tei and back to his sister before walking to the kitchen to get a bottle of water, then back to his bedroom. Kiko dropped to the ground and hung her head. Misa lay back down by the girls. Tei reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Tei, I am so sorry. I just wanted you to experience… I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"Kiko…" She crawled beside her and hugged her. "It's okay. I'm not mad."

"Training is going to be harder for you now. Be prepared."

Tei wasn't sure how that would be true but she nodded and the girls went off to bed, Misa in tow. When her door was closed and her body bare, she flopped down onto the bed and let Misa cuddle up to her back. Tei wondered if she had just let all of her progress with him slip through her fingers. Not even her firebending training, but becoming Jinru's friend, which before the fire incident, had seemed plausible. She gripped the covers and closed her eyes, begging for her mind to shut off.

She wasn't sure when her thinking turned to dreams, but she soon found herself in a beautiful field full of flowers and trees with mountains in the background, almost exactly like when she was pulled to the spirit world. Or was it the same? She felt the breeze flow through her hair, the sun on her skin. No, this place was real. Somewhere it was real. She smiled and gripped the ground with her toes, the plush carpet of grass so warm and tangible. Then it hit her. The smell. She looked around and suddenly fires were burning the fields, the trees, the very mountains were on fire. She was surrounded by flames, the smoke choking her. She heard screams behind her and there was her new family, Jinru, Kiko and Misa, all engulfed in flames. They cried out to her, screamed for Tei to help them. She replied.

"Just bend it! Control the fire! I can't!"

They yelled in pain as the flames turned their clothes to ashes, the smell of burning flesh filling the air, mixing with screams of anguish. Tei was screaming for them, the flames consuming herself before she woke with a start and a gasp, sitting straight up in bed and covered in sweat. Misa was staring at her from the other side of the bed, looking as worried as a sand leopard could look. Tei tried to even her breathing, telling herself it wasn't real no matter how much she felt the heat or the smell was etched into her memory. A loud knock came at her door and she flinched.

"Tei? Get ready." A low voice said from the other side. He didn’t wait for her response, walking away from her door. She rubbed her face and tried one last time to shake the dream from her head. Getting ready wasn't a problem. She went through the motions robotically, her head not in the game. Before she left she grabbed the music device and kissed Misa goodbye, walking out her door to the kitchen.

Breakfast was quiet. What was there to say? But that made the time pass slowly. She finished when Jinru did and they left their dishes in the sink, walking to the door. Kiko hung back, leaning against the wall.

"I want to come." Kiko said softly.

"Not today." Jinru said without looking at her. He paused. "Tomorrow. You can come watch her train starting tomorrow." He said and grabbed his keys, leaving the flat without another word. Tei slipped on her shoes and waved her friends goodbye, putting the earbuds in her ears as she rushed behind Jinru, guaranteeing a ride with no talking.

She lost herself in the lyrics, tapping her foot and rocking her head. The music was angry and loud but she felt about as big as a pentapus. She watched and waited for the car to stop, which it did eventually. She kept her music on and followed him around and into the building, then down to their basement gym. He tossed his bag on the ground and she went right to the punching bag, not even asking him what to. He sat in the chair and watched her let loose. She must have listened to the album four times before she finally got the words. She punched with each line.

"Forfeit the game before somebody else takes you out of the frame and puts your name to shame. Cover up your face. You can't run the race. The pace is too fast, you just won't last."

Tei just kept punching the bag until her hands were numb, bending over and resting her hands on her knees. A tap on her shoulder grabbed her attention. She turned and took out one earbud.

"Firebending forms. Breathe with execution. Go with the music." Jinru commanded and she nodded, putting the bud back in. She walked to the middle of the gym and bowed towards Jinru before starting her kata, her movements fluid and her breathing controlled. She knew what she was doing, she just had to prove it. She kicked and punched the air and her breathing followed the blows, it was her body working in complete harmony. Jinru circled her while she did her forms, motioning for her to repeat them when she finished. Again and again he wound his finger in the air for her to do it over. Punch, call out. Retract, inhale. Sidestep, exhale. Turn, inhale. Kick, call out. Repeat the form steps. Breathe. Again.

She must have been running kata all day because finally she collapsed onto the ground, her hands on her knees. She was gasping for breath, dripping with sweat, and exhausted. She did her best time and time again today. She wondered if it would be enough.

She ripped out the earbuds and paused the music, the battery half drained anyway, and looked up at Jinru who was approaching her.

"I'm sorry, I'll do it again, just give me a moment." She gasped and he stood right in front of her. He was silent and she knew why. What she had done wasn't good enough.

"I can do better, I promise."

He knelt down and sat in front of her. Their eyes met and he seemed calm, not disappointed or angry in any way. He folded his legs under him and ushered a bottle of water towards her. She didn’t ask, just took it and drank until she had to come up for air. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and set it on the ground, looking at him. He was studying her like she was a riddle. She didn’t know what to say. Should she ask how she did? Should she just go again? He rested his hands on his knees and she mimicked his posture, folding her legs and crossing them under each other. They were silent as her breathing became steady, easy again. He threw one of his hands into his lap and his eyes found hers again.

"Tell me about your scar."

The question was seemingly random. Her hand came to her face and touched her cheek, just the end of the pink scar that ran down her face. She spent more time trying to think how to ask him where that came from than actually answering the question. He waited. A thousand things came to her mind. Unpleasant retorts. A quick, witty story. A simple answer. Many, many refusals. Eventually she found her voice.

"It's uncomfortable to talk about."

"Okay, how about your dad? You seemed pretty animated about him yesterday." He encouraged and a sad smile fell on her lips. Her hand fell to her locket and she looked down.

"I must seem so stupid to you, talking about him like he's a hero of grand valor. A warrior for anything good and righteous…" She trailed off and her smile faded. "He was my hero."

"Was?" Jinru asked and she nodded.

"He um…" she blinked a few times and inhaled. "He died shortly after this picture of us was taken. I was seventeen."

"Was he in an accident?" Jinru pushed.

"I think I've said enough." She whispered.

They sat in silence and he picked another question.

"Where is your mom?"

Tei's eyes blazed with rage and the air sparked with tension almost instantly. Her eyes ripped from the floor to his.

"Never mention her to me ever again." She growled through clenched teeth.

Jinru's eyes grew wide and he held up his hands.

"I am just trying to find some common ground with you. We all have our scars. Scars are lessons we never forget." He said softly and she calmed down a little, looking away from him. He exhaled and looked down. "Sometimes scars tell people more about us then we want to. Sometimes, it's just too raw to talk about and you just want to forget about the past, but the proof remains."

She looked to him and nodded. It was true. You can't hide a giant pink scar on your face. It says more about you than you are willing to tell.

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to people asking those things about me. And it's even weirder coming from you."

"What does that mean?"

"Well we aren’t exactly close. We're not even friends."

"We're… not?" He asked and their eyes met again. She looked at him and she saw a tinge of pain in his mahogany eyes and she instantly felt bad. Where was all this emotion coming from?

"I… at least I didn’t think we were. Our relationship has always felt so strictly pupil-master."

He frowned and looked to his hands.

"Sorry, I have a tendency to…"

"Put up walls?"

He nodded and looked back to her. "Tashi must have warned you then?"

"Yeah, and Kiko."

He sighed.

"I didn’t mean it to shut you out. You are my kohai, but you can’t advance if we can’t trust each other. And trust comes with friendship." He paused and looked to her again.

"And I trust you." He said softly. Before she could respond he reached for his black wrappings around his arms, unwinding the cloth on one arm, then the other. When the cloth was in a pile in his lap he held out his arms for Tei to see. She looked down and nothing looked out of the ordinary. Dark skin stretched over muscles, some black hair. She didn’t know what she was looking for. Then he turned his arms over, palms up, and she saw why he always covered himself. From his wrist to the middle of his arm the flesh was deep red and raw, like melted skin in swirls and lines. It was grotesque and deformed and Tei covered her mouth to muffle a gasp. It looked so painful, like it was still healing. Suddenly everything made sense. This was a burn. Intense fire had touched his skin and hurt him so badly and changed how he felt about fire altogether, be it his element or not.

"What… how?" She said and let her hand drop from her face.

"I was fighting my father. I had never produced flames so scorching and extreme. I lost control. I destroyed our house, almost hurt my sister and mother, and I couldn’t stop the flames in time before they consumed my arms. I didn’t even feel it at first, I was so far gone - lost in my rage. Kiko screamed at me to help myself and that's when I noticed. I put out the flames but by then, the damage was done. She rushed me to the hospital. They did what they could."

Tei instinctively reach a hand out and touched one of his arms, the heat coming off the scarred flesh was almost burning. This is how she comforted people, though touch. He didn’t recoil but he wanted too, used to words instead of physical contact.

"It's my constant reminder to always be in control of myself. And it's why I've been so hard on you. I don't want you to hurt anyone."

She nodded and took her hand back. She was speechless. There is always more to people than you can see, and it was true with him too. She watched and he turned his arms back and rewrapped them, the black cloth hiding it perfectly.

"Your forms are perfect. Your breathing is excellent. You are a fast learner." He smiled just the slightest and finished with his arms, standing up and offering his hand again. She took it and stood with him.

"Tomorrow, we start firebending." He said and Tei smiled. She wanted to jump up and down and scream and holler but she restrained herself, bowing to him with her fist to her hand.

"I can't wait."


End file.
